This disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for maintaining the integrity of safety items, including first aid kits, blood borne pathogen kits, eyewash stations, fire extinguishers, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, respirators and filters. More specifically, this disclosure relates to devices and techniques for ensuring that supplies for safety items and their protocols and related policies are properly maintained.
First aid kits serve a key function in ensuring the safety and welfare of the workforce and the general citizenry. In the safety context, there are numerous regulations and organizational policies which require the presence of first aid kits and which also provide guidance as to the required contents of first aid kits. Compliance with the various regulations is important in reducing or eliminating liability in the workplace and the public sector, as well as to provide a vehicle for promptly administering first aid when required.
It has long been recognized that the procurement and placement of a first aid kit is only an initial step in ensuring the maximum usefulness of the first aid kit. It is extremely important that as supplies from any first aid kit are used or their effectiveness expire, such items be replaced in a prompt and an organized manner. This latter challenge has not been close to universally achieved, and in numerous instances, has been neglected.
While efficient systems for replacing first aid components have been proposed and instituted, it can be said that many such systems very directly depend on the reliability of key personnel in taking steps to ensure maintenance of the first aid kits—which is often a very secondary responsibility of such personnel. In this latter regard, it can be very advantageous if an option of automatic replenishment is provided.
Because proximity to locations is often a key attribute of optimum usage and benefits of first aid kits, larger facilities, organizations and institutions require numerous such kits and, of course, the maintenance and compliance for numerous such kits.
Many of the same considerations discussed above also apply to other safety items. Some safety items such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and AEDs require periodic maintenance.
The present requisition system seeks to provide a new and improved system for ensuring that the supplies of a first aid kit are properly replaced, that the kit fully complies with updated safety regulations and standards and that the usage of the first aid kit may be effectively monitored and that all safety items are properly maintained, where applicable, the supplies for such safety items properly replaced and the safety items fully comply with updated safety regulations and standards.
A key feature in ensuring that safety items are properly maintained is the ability to efficiently and timely undertake an inventory of replaceable supplies. Because there are numerous safety items and numerous possible first aid kits, for example, in a large facility, it is important that the inventory process be facilitated by readily providing a list of replaceable supplies to the user and allowing the user to conduct the inventory in an efficient manner.